November 2008 – RollOuts

Last month, Caterpillar gave the off-highway industry an advanced look at the strategies it is employing to meet Tier 4 Interim emissions standards for engines in the 75- to 750-horsepower range.

Those standards, due to take effect in 2011, will require 90-percent reductions in particulate matter and 50-percent reductions in oxides of nitrogen. Cat introduced under-75-horsepower engines that are Tier 4 Interim compliant last year.

Cat’s announcement said the company will meet the new emissions standards by using its Tier 3 ACERT technology as a foundation, adding next-generation turbo charging, and further advances in electronics, fuel systems, particulate after-treatment systems, and a suite of NOx reduction technologies. Engineers expect to improve fuel efficiency and maintain power, response, and durability.

“The technology we launch today,” said a company communiqué, “establishes the foundation for virtually zero particulate matter non-road emissions by 2014.”

Caterpillar plans to offer a new 7-liter engine designed specifically for Tier 4 Interim and future compliance, and it plans to feature increased displacement in its industrial C9 ACERT engine.

The assortment of NOx reduction technologies will allow the company to adopt “optimal” solutions depending on application and emissions requirements.

Cat’s C2.2 diesel engine, introduced last year in power ratings between 41 and 66 horsepower, complies with Tier 4 Interim emissions requirements which went into effect for under-75-horsepower engines this year.

Fully portable screen

GreyStone introduced a new fully portable, self-erecting screen tower that allows aggregate producers to move classifying equipment from site to site. The Self-Erecting Screen Tower uses a horizontal, vibrating three-deck wet screen. The company says it can be torn down and set up in less than two days. It is recommended as a primary screen for operations that screen 6-inch minus material, or as a secondary or tertiary screen for plants that screen larger material.

Quick setting changes

Terex Cedarapids designed its new RC45 III ElJay Rollercone as a high-production cone crusher with quick, easy crusher-setting adjustments. The unit features a hydraulic thread adjustment system that eliminates shims and allows changes in settings to be made in a fraction of the time that shim systems require. The manganese of the RC45 III rotates for uniform wear, reducing maintenance and enhancing product sizing. Advanced crushing chamber technology is said to yield a high percentage of sized product on the first pass and a highly cubical product. Other features include an efficient roller bearing design and a quick-reset hydro-pneumatic tramp iron relief system.

Calculates mass water balance

BedRock Software introduced a new version of its AggFlow software that allows producers to accurately calculate Mass Water Balance flowing through a plant in addition to calculating Mass Aggregate Balance. The company says the new software helps producers optimize operation layouts and maximize the production of desired products. AggFlow With Water Mass Balance Calculations is available free to all licensed AggFlow users.

Hands-free rod handling system

Boart Longyear says its new 4200 surface coring rig features the safest and most flexible rod management system in its class, including the industry’s first “truly hands-free” rod handling system. The system includes a rod handler with 270-degree pick-up capability, an auto-adjusting breakout tool, and an innovative hoist plug spinner. Also new is an open-face mast design which encloses the drill head, breakout tool, and other rotating parts within the mast and applies unified guarding at the operator’s level to increase operator safety. Targeted at the 1,200-meter NQ market, the new rig has a maximum torque of 6,953 Nm and a hoist capacity of 20,000 pounds.

Improve bucket performance

ESCO introduced three new products to enhance bucket performance in mining operations. The company says its new EverSharp Cast Lip System uses premium alloys to enhance strength and safety. It features a lip bottom and shroud design that reduces wear and improves loading with more efficient bucket curl.

The company also introduced the Posilok Plus tooth system, which features a hammerless locking device.

Also new is the LHD lip system for medium to large underground loaders. It features a hammerless locking system and a through-hardened, cast-steel shroud mounting base.

Automated wheel wash systems

Innovative Equipment Solutions says it new Neptune Series of fully automated wheel wash systems can be configured with one-, two-, or three-tire revolutions of cleaning. Designed specifically to eliminate trackout from aggregate and mining operations, the systems are portable and feature closed-loop water recycling with solids separation.

New diesel cleaning system

Filtration specialist Donaldson introduced a proprietary new cleaning system for particulate filters on diesel engines. The Donaldson PDF Cleaning System pneumatically flushes unburned ash and soot from the particulate filter, then traps it in a serviceable filter located for easy removal. The average cleaning cycle is 15 minutes or less, depending on the level of contamination.

Larger grabbing tool

Star Hill Solutions introduced a new, larger version of its Super Jawz grabbing tool. Developed for large wheel loaders and excavators, the new offering has a 10,000-pound lifting capacity and an opening of 58 inches at the tips. The tools are used to remove trees, posts, invasive plants, boulders, and other hard-to-move objects.